Embodiments of the invention relate to the creation of documents (such as contracts, forms, user manuals, instructional texts, and others). More particularly, embodiments of the invention relate to the creation of documents by assembling document components and applying precedence and rules to create a desired document.
Document production systems that insert customer-specific content into a pre-fabricated document are known. For example, in some known systems a boilerplate document is produced using word processing software. The boilerplate document is then reviewed and revised by a document developer, and stored in a storage device, such as a disk drive of a computer. The boilerplate document is then made available for use to an end-user, such as a bank or loan officer. The end-user retrieves the boilerplate document from the storage device and enters specific content into the document, such as names, addresses, prices, etc. Once the desired content is inserted into specified locations on the document, the completed form is printed.
Other document systems use a conventional relational database scheme to test specific input information against a table of rule sets which, in turn, are directly linked to various boilerplate clauses. For example, when working with insurance forms, a rule set is assigned to each insurance policy clause and each endorsement clause. The insurance and endorsement clauses and rule sets are stored in a memory coupled to the main processor. Each rule set includes at least one rule that must be satisfied in order to include the associated clause in the document. After entering customer-specific parameters into the computer, such as desired insurance coverages and the policy holder's state of residence, each and every rule in each and every rule set is evaluated to determine whether a particular clause is to be included in the document. In order to print a document, a printer database containing a redundant copy of each insurance and endorsement policy clause is utilized to supply the appropriate clauses.
Other known systems include those disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,666,130 and 6,006,242. While these systems are different from one another in several ways, both systems use SGML (standard generalized markup language).